Southbound

There’s this tree at the edge of town that sits right by the highway across from where the old gas station used to be

the one we used to walk to get pops and chips and those little candies that made our mouths blue and our eyes water as soon as they got past our lips

I saw that tree every time I had ever gone out of town and I watched it grow up right next to me

I feel like it knows me better than most of the people here ever did and I’m okay with that

I didn’t say goodbye to anyone but you unless you count that tree across from the gas station

as silly as it sounds I swear it waved back at me

It rained all through the night but it stopped just as we were getting to the city right before the sun came up and the sky turned from black to blue

blue like our mouths used to be when we got those candies from the gas station

when the car got out of the tunnel light was breaking through the clouds and turning the sky orange but I could only see it at every cross street

little slices of sunshine welcoming me to my new life

no new trees or old gas stations only these giant buildings and busy streets like we always imagined it

all the plans we used to make seem to be flooding back to me now and I can feel my eyes watering just like they used to when we got those candies from the gas station

but all I can taste is salt as soon as the tears gets past my lips